A printed circuit board in a computer chassis is typically connected to various devices within the computer chassis and also to various devices outside of the computer chassis, such as a power cable, a monitor, a modem, a fax machine, a hard drive, a CD ROM, a floppy disk drive, a scanner, a printer, a mouse, a key board, power on/off switch, key board lock button, audio headset connections, microphone connector, volume control knob, etc.
These connections between the printed circuit board and other devices require precise alignment between the printed circuit board connectors and the various device connectors. As a printed circuit board is connected on more than one edge of the board to ever more devices, the alignment issue becomes more critical.
For example, a typical printed circuit board must align with holes in the back side of the computer chassis in order to make connections to a power supply, a monitor, a modem, a printer, a mouse, a keyboard, a back plane board and other I/O devices, while at the same time align with holes in the front or side of the computer chassis to connect with audio headsets and microphone devices, and to allow for various user interface devices, such as a power on/off button, a mute button, a volume control knob, a keyboard lock button, etc. A printed circuit board will usually also connect to various internal devices, such as a hard drive, a CD ROM, a floppy disk drive, etc.
In order for the printed circuit board to connect to many different devices on more than one edge of the printed circuit board, prior solutions to the alignment issue have included precise manufacturing alignment requirements between the printed circuit board, the computer chassis and the different devices to be connected; using separate boards and cable assemblies to accommodate the various connections to different devices; utilizing relatively fragile printed circuit board extensions; eliminating tolerance stack-ups, such as tight tolerance, precision made components by means of highly tooled, precision manufacturing processes. Many of these solutions add to engineering, manufacturing and tooling costs, increase the overall size of the computer chassis, increase the number of parts and add to the cost and complexity of assembly and disassembly.
If the printed circuit board does not align with all of the connections on each edge of the printed circuit board, either one or more of the connections will not be able to be made, or the connections will be forced and will create a torsional twisting of the printed circuit board. Such twisting of the printed circuit board could cause lifting of traces, leads and solder, causing opens in the circuitry on the printed circuit board. Accordingly, there is a need in the field of computer and electronic assemblies for an inexpensive, simple means of alignment between the printed circuit board and the various devices being connected to the printed circuit board. There is a further need for a means of alignment between a printed circuit board and the various devices connected to the printed circuit board that does not significantly add parts, weight or assembly and disassembly complexity or cost.